By Keith Brake
Geneseo Current
Leafs (really) Close, but Prize Yet to Come
Geneseo's crowd was up at a decibel level sufficient to wake up the echoes and shake down thunder.
Quarterback AJ Weller was back in the game, leading the Green Machine down the field late in the fourth quarter, trailing 7-3.
“It was loud,” said Geneseo Coach Larry Johnsen Jr.
“It was total chaos on the sideline, for a while,” Johnsen said. “We were penalized once for having 13 men on the field,” the coach said.
It only seemed like the Sterling defense had that many for most of the night.
“The coaches couldn't hear each other. The players couldn't hear us,” Johnsen said.
Still Geneseo willed itself forward, getting to Sterling's two-yard line, where the down linemen on each side could hear each other breathing despite the racket. It came down to fourth-and-goal from the six, with 10 seconds left to play.
The Leafs launched running back Jeron Neal into the defense. He hit a seam, then bellied to the right and went down in a churning mass of bodies at the right front of the end zone.
The officials ruled the ball was inches short of the goal line.
Geneseo's crowd was dumbstruck. Everything seemed frozen in time, for just moment.
Sterling's defense had let the air out of Geneseo's green and yellow balloons. Again. Those balloons spit and spun crazily and crashed. There was no horn noise blaring from the scoreboard. Geneseo's celebratory fireworks remained grounded.
Frustration. Elevated frustration.
So, now what? Most Geneseo fans had visions of the Maple Leafs catching – then passing – the Golden Warriors, all in one night. One glorious, in-your-face-Sterling night.
But, what happened Friday may lead to happier moments, yet this season, for this Geneseo team, which was and remains – good.
“Our defense played really well, our best game of the season for the most part,” Geneseo's coach said.
But Sterling's defense was at the top of the story, like it has been for a number of years now.
The Warrior defenders flew around like they usually do, but none better than tackle Kendric Muhammed (#68). “He won his battles up front and made big plays,” Johnsen said.
Still, Geneseo was able to move. The Leafs had 15 first downs to Sterling's six. Geneseo rushed 48 times and netted 136 yards. For Sterling: 24 rushes, 130 yards. Geneseo was five-for-14 passing for 47 yards. For Sterling: two-for-12 passing for 43 yards.
That adds up to 62 plays and 183 yards for Geneseo, and 36 plays for 173 yards for Sterling. Those numbers are lot closer than they have been for years.
Close works in hand grenades, but not in football. It was still no cigar for Geneseo.
“It was just one game. If we don't bounce back, ,. if we lose the next one, than we'll have let Sterling beat us twice,” Johnsen said.
“We're still in the hunt in the WB6,” said Geneseo's coach. “A three-way tie for the championship is still possible, even a home playoff opener is still possible,” he said. “Our goals are still out there in front of us. It's just that now we're not in total control of our destiny.”
Geneseo had first possession against Sterling. The Leafs drove 63 yards in 8:41, but Sterling's quickness on defense started showing up after the Leafs crossed the 50. Brayden Combs kicked a 24-yard field goal to put Geneseo up 3-0.
The Warriors took a 7-3 halftime lead on a nice-but-fourth-and-11 touchdown pass play.
Leafs fans noticed defensive back Weller come off the field during the drive. He didn't come out to start the third quarter.
“Migraine,” Johnsen said. Jackson McAvoy, a sophomore, filled in at quarterback in the third quarter, and did a creditable job.
But Weller came back to start the fourth, and led Geneseo's second major drive, this one also 63 yards in 2:54, ending at the Sterling one-yard line, whereupon the Warriors quarterback ran 99 yards for a score as time ran out.
UP NEXT: MENDOTA
Now comes a non-conference game as Mendota, a rival from the days of the NCIC Southwest division, visits Bob Reade Field.
They last met in the 2009 playoffs. Geneseo leads the series 22-19-1 – and has won the last 19 in a row.
Mendota got its first win last week, over Port Byron Riverdale.
What will be the Leafs' mental state for Mendota?
Speaking on Sunday afternoon, the Leafs coach said. “We'll find out starting Monday.”
PLAYOFF PICTURE - Geneseo became playoff-eligible with its win over Galesburg. One more win guarantees the Leafs a spot in the dance itself. “We've still got a lot to play for,” Johnsen said.